Signal system fob elevators



0Q E. KILROY & w A. BRADEN.

SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR ELEVATURS.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE25, 1908. 1,180,300. Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

' 6 SHEETS-SHEET I. Q

f5 0 Ill I n za ffw n. E. K|,LRQY'& w. A. BRADEN.

SIGNAL SYSTEM FORELEVATORS.

APPUCATION FIL EID JUNE 25. 1908..

1,180,300 Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2- e gvri' n. E. KILROY' & ,w. A-.-- BRADEN. SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR ELEVATORS.

APPLICATION FILED-JUNE 25,1908.

WITNESSES n. E. KILROY & w. A. BRADEN.

SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR ELEVATORS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25,1908.

' Patented Apt-25, 1916.

6 SHEETSSHEET 4- Jzuezzfora n. E. KILROY & w. A. B'RA DEN.

v SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR ELEVATORS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1908.

1, 180,300.! Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

6 SHEETS SHEET 5.

fir

WITNESSES: INVENTORfi y fi "BY MfZZAE v u. E. mum & w. A.-BRADEN. SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR ELEVATORS APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25. I908.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

lwenzom f Patented'Apr. 25, 1916 f UNITED STATES rATENT OFFICE.

DANIELE; KILROY AND WILLIAM A. BBADEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR ELEVATORS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DANIEL and \ViLLiAii A. Bnannx, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signal Systems for Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

'E. vKiLRoY Specification b Letters Patent.

In the operation of signal systems f'o'r-eletivc passenger, in order to notify the elevator conductor to stop the car at such floor,

and to apprise the passenger of the ap-' proach of the car. As these systems are at present constructed they are so arranged that when the car is full and cannot re ceive more passengers the elevator operator by pushinga button can transfer any sig-' nals that maylhavebeen set o'n'othei' floors to be passed by'hi-s carfto tlie following car but no means known to us have heretofore been provided in a signal system employing current of a relatively high voltage for the signal displaying.circuit and currentofa relatively low voltage for the'signal actuat-.

ing circuit. or in signal systems wherein re-.. lays using low voltage current are utilized for the purpose of controlling higher voltage circuits. or wherein a low voltage cir (Hit only'needs be interrupted in the elevator car in orderto obliterate the signals which may have been set in advance of the movement of the car until at or after the time the car passes or has passed the floors 'wheresuch last mentioned signalshave been set.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of an arrangement of apparatus and electrical circuits 'so' constructed that the elevator operator can at any time obliterate all signals which the movement of his "car would otherwise give,

in order that false'signals may not be given to awaiting passengers.

A further ()bJGCt of this invention is to provide such an arrangement of parts that the signal system for any elevator car. or

ing the contact carrier.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

Application filed June 25, 1908. Serial No. 440,353.

any one. car in a bank of elevator cars, may be thrown out of circuit, or restored, as may be desired, at the will of the elevator c0n-' ductor orstarter, or automatically so far as the car operator is concerned for express service, with facility and without the need of'perma-nent disarrangenient of the signal system, and one'which will be operable from a moving car or'from any desired location.

In Carrying out our invention we have provided the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein,

' Figure 1 is a d'agrammatic'illustration of an elevator signal system embodying'our improvements, Fig. l is a simplified diagram 'view illustrat ve of thecircuits'e mployed in.

exhibiting and controlling the signals in con- Fig. 2 is a perspective view of-tlie moving nection with one of the intermediate floors;

brush carrier and other parts adapted to co- I operate' with the contact members ill LlS ti'ated diagrammatically in the upper. "right hand corner of Fig. 1, Fig. 2 is a somewhat diagrammatic longitudinal vertical sectional view of the device of Fig. 2; F g. .2 ma

..vertical section of Fig. 2 taken on the line 2'-2 ,Fig. 2 is a perspective diagrammatic figure showing thenieans for oscillat- Fig. 3 is .an enlarged detail elevation of t he magnet coils, arinatures, connections, and nierc'ury pots illustrated at the left of, Fig. .1, Fig.4 is an enlarged detail of the circuit changer as illustrated at lin Fig.1, Fig. 5 is aplan view of the circuit changer illustrated in Fig..4=,

Fig. 6 is a section of the switchf'illustrated at in Fig. 1, showingsa'idswitch-in open "position, Fig. 7 is the switch ofFigQ-B shown in closed position, and Fig. 8 is a diagramm'atic illust 'ation of. a modified form ofthe present invention.

H at Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, 11'de-' notes one of a series of elevator cars ar-fl anged with the usua'l shafts in such a manner that they Will .p'ass-upand down such shafts through the several floors of, the building. Each such car is provided withiasignal lamp. 12, and a signal operating switch,'13, which is provided in order thatthe elevator;

operator-may transfer the stopping signal to the next car in the event that he does not Wish to stop to take on the passenger, on

may interrupt the signal system'so that the movement of the car operated by him will fully appear. Adjacent to the elevator give no. further signals, or that hemay restore the signal system to its normal operative condition, all as will hereinbelow more shaft on each floor there is provided a signal button, for example, 156, by which the person'who wishes to become a passenger in the next elevator is enabled to close a normally open electrical circuit and thereby actuate the signal mechanism in such a man'nerthat as a car approaches the floor where the signal" has been given the signal lantern 1n the car will be lighted, signaling the operator to stop the car at such floor, and the signal adjacentto the elevator shaft of such floor will also be lighted, in order to inform the prospective passenger and the elevator conductor respectively. The signal buttons on the top and bottom floors are single as the car moves in but one dlrectlon from such floor,'whe1;eas a double set of buttons is pro-,

vided at all intermediate floors in order that signals may be given for cars going up or down as the case may be.

Single signal lanterns arelikewise provided on the botitom and top floors and double signal lanterns on the intermediate floors for the same v In the form of the present' invention illustrated 1n the accompanying drawings therefhas' been shownbut a single elevator.

tho u'gh it is, ';of course, obvious that the present apparatus'is applicable by mere 8X "tension to any number of elevators, and fur-.

.thermore that one set 'of push buttons is fsuflicie'nt to enable one to actuate the entire i l Sy em- ;desires' to signal the elevator car he operates "one or the other of the push buttons aecordingto the direction in which he wishes toa-person on any floor of the building travel, pushing the upper button if" he wishes to -g0 up or the lower button if he wishes to go down, thereby permitting the commutator mechanism in Fig.2.t0 actuate the signal system. This commutator mechanism is usually driven by means of achain A which drives a sprocket B loosely car;-

ried on the worm shaft 15. The chain passes l 50,

over a sprocket 270 on the shaft 271 which carries the main sheave 272'around which "pass'the elevator ropes. The shaft 271 is supported by the usual bearings 27.3. In

view of this connection between the overhead sheave shaft of the elevator car the shaft 15 will moveaccording to the movement of the car, suitable shifting mechanism comprising a tail piece 0 traveling in guides d, e and cbntrolled by springs d, e'fbeing provided at each end of the shaftlfi, alter nately opening and closing the up and down sets of contacts, so that the up car-signal circuits will notbe closed when a down push button has been pressed and vice versa. The shaft 15 i-sjournaled at each of its ends as indicated at f ,and carries between them the brush carrier mechanism 16, which in turn carries a plurality of contact members, below to be described, arranged to contact with the contact strips and plates also hereinafter to be described in a manner there stated. Assuming that the tail piece 0 is moving in the direction indicated by the arrow (Fig. 2*) in the guide (Z, when it passes thespring (Z', and the shaft 15 reverses its movement, the tail piece a will be moved into the guide 6, and since the carrier mechanism is pivoted at 9, such movement will shift the carrier mechanism 16 from the position shown in Fig. 2 which shows the contacts made for the down movement of the car, and by the movement of the rocker arms 16, 16 will move the carrier mechanism 16 into a corresponding position for i the operation of the up signals.

We show the traveling brush carrier mechanism in Fig. 2 in operative contact with the contact plates which are in circuit when the car is traveling upward, and

it is apparent that such position will allow thelighting of no down signal lamps, since one pair 'ofthe down brushes contacts with the plate 46, another pair with the plate 239 and a third series with the plate 96,

.18, for the shunt field below mentioned.

From the contact, 19. electrical connections are led to the brush. 20, and from the con tact, 21, to the brush, 22. and from the contact, 23, to the contact. 21, which is connected to the shunt field on the transformer, 25. which carries on the commercial high volt age side (ordinarily 110 volts) the said contacts, 20, 22, and 24. At the other side of thetransformer there is produced current of a low voltage, say ten volts. for the opera tion of the push buttons and parts connected therewith, below described. From one brush on the ten volt side of the transformer a Wire, 26, feeds one side of each of the push buttons, 125, 126, 127, 128, and 129, and 155. 156. 157 and 158. -A branch from this wire. 28, leads to a contact, 29, on the three point switch, 30. From the other brush on the ten volt side of the transformer a wire. 31.

leads to the series of armatures. 213. 213. below described in cdnnection with Fig. 3. From the wire, 31, a branch leads to a coil on the circuit changing device 33. shown more in detail in Figs. 4 and From the ad -jaeent coil on the circuit changing device,

tact, 39, on the circuit changer, 33, and the.

contact, 39, is in turn connected to the contact, 42, by the wire, 43. The contact, 44 (see Fig. 4) is connected to the transfer button return plates, 45. and 46, by the wires,

47 and 48. The contact, 49, is connected to the contact, 50, on the switch, 30, by the wire, 51, and the contact, 52, is connected to one side of all of the lanterns, 170, 171, 172,

173, and 185, 186, 187, 188, and 189, by the wire 55, and branches leading therefrom, and the car light, 12. The contact, 56, is

, connected to the contacts, 57 and 58, by the wire, 59, and a branch 60 leading therefrom, respectively. A branch, 61, may be led from the wire, 59, to the contact, 62, a switch, 63,

placed in circuit therewith, for use when it is desired to run the car express to a certain floor.v From the contact, 64, of the switch 30 (Fig. 1) a wire, 65, leads to the contact, 66, and the contact, 67. From the contact, 68, connection is made by the wire, 69, to the contact, 70, on the main circuit switch, 71.

From the contact, 72, connection is made by the wires, 73 and 74, to the contact, 75, on the said switch, 71, and by the wire, 76, to

, the series of mercury pots, 211', and by the wire, 78, to the series of mercury pots, 211. These mercury pots, 211, are in turn connected by wires, 80, 80 ,80 80, etc., respectively to the contacts, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, and the mercury pots 211 are in turn connected by wires 90, 90, 90 90 90 respec tively, to the contacts, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, etc. The contacts, 100,101, 102, 103, 104, etc., are connected by the wires, 105, 106, 107, 108, and-109 to their down set back plates, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, respectively. The contacts 130, 131, 132, 133 and 134 are connected by wires, 135, 136, 137, 138 and 139 to the up set back plates, 140, 141, 142, 143 and 144. The contacts, 115, 116, 117, 118, are connected by the wires, 120, 121, 122, 123, to the down push buttons, 155, 156, 157, and 158, respectively. The contacts, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149 are connected by the wires, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, to the up push buttons," 129, 128, '127, 126 and 125. From the contacts, 160, 161, 162,163, wires, 165, 166, 167, 168, respectively, lead to the lanterns, 170, 171, 172, 173. The. contacts, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, are connected by the wires, 180., 181, 182, 183, 184, to the lanterns, 185, 186, 187-, 188, 189.

Referring to Fig. 3 of the drawings, it will he noted that the upper binding postof the mechanism for controlling the down signals, the same being shown in the lower part ofsaid Fig. 3, for example the post 116, carries a wire 201 which is connected to the release magnet coil 202, the other end 1 which coil is connected to the hinding post 203. The lower binding post, for example, 101, carries a wire, 205, connected to the reset magnet coil 206, the other end of which coil 206 is likewise connected to the binding post 203 by a wire 207. The binding post 203 isalso connected to the wire 31 by a wire 208. The armature 209, is pivoted adjacent the coil,.206, in such a manner that when said coil is energized, the armature is lifted and the needle, 210, raised out of the mercury in the pot, 211, which mercury pot, 211,-is in turn connected to the contact, 72, by the wires 76 and 78.

(See Fig. 1.) The said armature, 209, is so arranged that when its left hand end is depressed by the energization of the coil, 206, the armature, 213, will pass above the upturned end, 214, and engage therewith The said armature, 213, is so arranged with relation to the coil, 202, that when said coil is energized, the armature, 213, will release the armature, 209, and allow the contact needle, 210, to drop into the mercury in the pot, 211, and thus restoretheelectrical connection.

Referring to Figs. 6 and 7 wherein are illustrated details of the preferred form of push button, it is to be noted that when the button 230 is pushed inwardly, the lever 231 which is pivoted at 232 will depress the contact bar 235 and close the circuit between contacts 236 and 237?. The contact bar 235 is connected to the lever 231 at a point 233 by means of a connection having suflicient play to allow the contact bar to the contact ban-222, pivoted at and ride upon the boss 212 so that connection will be established by the connected contacts, 224 and 225, between the contacts, 42 and 56. and so that the connection which the contacts, 49 and 52, and the contacts, 39 and 44, have by the connected contacts, 226 .and 227 and 228 and 229, respectively, will be interrupted. It is to be noted thata momentary energization of the coils, 216 and 217,

is suflicient to interrupt the circuits as just stated, since when one of the teeth 221 rides onto the boss 212 it remains there until the magnet is again energized, and that to restore such circuits it is necessary that the coils, 216 and 217, be again energized, when the tooth 221 last referred to will descend from the boss 212.

Referring to Fig. 8, it will be noted that the circuits are the same as inFig. v1 with the followingexceptions: The wire, 51, leads directly from the contact, 50, to the contact 236 actingin conjunction with contact 237 without the intervention of the circuit changer, 33. The wires, 43, 59 and,

60, and the circuit changer, 33, and the various connections shown in Figs. 4 and 5, are eliminated. I

Referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings, it is to be noted that when the elevatorcar is descending the traveling brush carrier mechanism or commutator illustrated 'in this figure and the contacts carried thereby bear relation to the contacts illustrated in Fig. 1, illustrated as to the upper contacts in full line and lower contacts in dotted lines as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The operation of our invention is as follows: Referring to Fig. 1", it will be noted that when, for example, ,a passenger standing at the third floor pushes the button 156, the low voltage circuit for setting the mechanism is established from the low voltage side of the transformer 25 through conductor 31, binding post 203,magnet 202, binding post 117, conductor 121, push button 156, common feed wire 26, signal 251, back to the transformer 25. This circuit energizes the magnet 202, causing the attraction of the armature 213 which allows the needle 210 to fall into the mercury pot 211, so that as the descending elevator approaches such floor, the traveling commutator .16 moving conformably with the elevator and carrying the contacts 237 and 238 (Figs. 2 and 2") will establish a circuit between the contacts 86 and 177; and the high voltage'lighting circuit is then completed as follows: conductor a, switch contact on switch 71; conductor 69, contact 68 on the switch 30, contact 50, conductor 51, through the contacts 49, 52, conductor 55, through the lamp 187, conductor 182, contacts 177and v86 (which have been bridged by the contacts 237 and 238 on the traveling commutator of Figs. 2 and 2 conductor needle 210, mercury pot 211, conductors'78, 76, 74, contact '75 on the switch 71, through said switch 71 to conductor 5 thus completing the circuit. This will cause the lighting of the floor lantern 187, and of the car lainp 12, the circuit for which latter is as follows: conductor a, switch -contact 70 on switch 71, conductor 69, contact 68 on the switch 30, contact 50, conductor 51, through r the contacts 49, 52, conductor 55, conductor 53, through the lamp 12, contact plate 239, brushes 240 and 241, contact 86, conductor 80',needle. 210 mercury pot 211, conductor 76, conductor 74, contact 75 on the switch 71, to conductor 6, thus completing said car lamp lighting circuit. As the carpasses the floor on which the passenger stands, the brush contacts 237 and 238 contact with a dead plate which interrupts the circuits heretofore described, and a circuit will then be established as follows: from the low voltage side of the transformer, 25, conductor 31, conductor 208, binding post 203, conductor 207, magnet 206, conductor 205, binding post 201, conductor 106, contact 111,

through the brush contacts 242, 243, contact plate 45, conductor 47, contacts 44, 39, conductor 41, contact 35 on switch 30, conducelevator conductor does not wish to stop at the floor where the si a1 has been given, by pushing the button, 13, and thereby establishing a circuit through the coils, 216 and 217, and the consequent movement of the armature, 218, as described in connection with Figs. 4 and 5, he can. extinguish all the floor lanterns below him, and also the car light, by reason of the fact that the flow of current through the wires, 51, 53 and 55, will be interrupted by the movement of the contacts, 226 and 227, but low poten-- tial current will continue to flow through the wires, 43 and 59, to the contact plate, 57, in order that as the car approaches the bottom floor the circuit changer 33 will assume its normal position shown in Fig. 4 restoring the circult so that the lamp may be lighted-that is to say the traveling com- 57 establishing a circuit as follows: from transformer 25, through conductor 31, magnets 217, 216, conductor 34, to contact plate 57', contact plate 45, conductor 47 contacts 44, 39, conductor 41, contact 35 on switch 30, conductor 26, to the opposite pole of the transformer. This circuit will energize'the magnets 216217, causing the attraction of "the armature 218, causing the toothed sprocket 221 to rideoff from the boss 212, and allow the circuit changer 4 to attain its normal condition shown in Fig. 4.

' giving the button,

in combination,

the appended claims.

closing means to of the device shown in Fig. that of Fig. 1, with the following exceptions: The pushing in of the push button, 230, interrupts the common feed'of all of the lanterns and the car light for such a period of time as such button is'so depressed, and likewise interrupts the common feed for the. set back plates, 45., 46 (Fig. 1). It is to be'noted that the push button, 230, is so arranged that when it Is depressed it may be held in such posit 11 against the pressure of the spring, 255, y

230, a slight turn, as in- .ihe operation 8 is the same as dicated in Fig. 6. I,

At 250 is illustrated a switch which may be used as a short circuit around an annunciator bell, 251, when it is not desired to have the bell ring when the push buttons are manipulated. I v

While the present system has been described as applicable to a single car, it is obviously capable of adaptation to the usual series of elevators by mere extension in the customary manneras above stated, and 1t'1s also to be noted that many otherways of interrupting and restoring the circuits for the purpose above described, maybe designed without departure from the spirit of the present invention and aretherefore intended to be comprised within the terms of Having thus described what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters following 4 1. An electric elevator system comprising, a relatively high potential means operated by relatively low potential current for closing the lamp circuit, automatic means operated by low potential current for restoring said circuit open circuit position, auxlarr ip circuit,

-iliary means operable from the car for breaking both through said restoring means.

2. An electric elevator signal system comprising, in combination, a relatively high potential lamp circuit and a relatively low potential controlling circuit including three parallel branch circuits comprising, respectively, a manually operated lamp circuit closing device adjacent the elevator shaft, a circuit closing device'controlled by contactsoperated by the movement of-the car, and auxiliary lamp circuit breaking means operable from the car and adapted toopen and close the circuit through floor, lamp circuit closing by relatively said resetting device. 1 3. An electric elevator signal system comprising, in combination, aplurality of relatively high potentlal lamp; circuits for each connected in arallel with a manually operated circuit 0 using device on that 'floor, 'and our invention and 7 Patent is the v the lamp circuit and the circuit chronism with the car,

circuit closing device on the car and three devices operated low potent al for each floor separate circuit breaking means for each lamp circuit on that floor whereby the lighting of a lamp can be avoided when desired.

4. An electric elevator signal system comprising, in combination, a relatively high potential lamp circuit, a relatively low potential controlling circuit for closing a section of said lamp circuit, contacts operated by the movement of the car for completing the lamp circuit and a relatively low poten tial lamp circuit breaking device operable fromthe car.

' 5. An electric elevator signal system comprising, in combination, a lamp circuit, a manually controlled lamp circuit opening device, and separate automatic means for restorin said lamp circuit opening device .to circuit closing position at a predetermined in the travel of the car.

point r signal system comrestoring means,

7 An electric elevator signal system comprising, in combination, a relatively high =-potentia-l lamp circuit comprising lamps on each floor and a lamp in the car and relatively low potential controlling circuits therefor, including lamp circuit closing devices, means open circuit position after operation and means operable on the car and the lamps on each floor corresponding therewith, said last-mentioned means being also adapted to break the circuit through the said restoring means.

prising, in combination, a relatively high circuit and pre-.

for automatically refrom each car adapted to break the high potential circuit for the lamp 86 a lamp circuit, a

for restoring :said devices to c An electric elevator signal system com potential lamp circuit comprising ala'mpl i adjacent the elevator shaft anda manually operated circuit closing device adjacent the potential, a contact device movingin syna manually operated circuit opening and closing devices in series in the circuit of saidlampadapted to be closed, respectively, by the operation of said first-mentioned clrcult closing device, by said contact device and by said circuit closing device on the car, and the. first two adapted to be opened by the said contact device and the elevator shaft operated by relatively low 7 third by the said circuit closing device on P the car.-

9. An electric elevator signal system comprising, in combination, a, lamp circuit, a

push button adjacent the elevator shaft, a contact device moving in synchronism with the car and a manually operated switch on the car, a circuit for controlling said lamp circuit having three parallel branches'adapted to be opened and closed, respectively, by said push button, by said contact device and by said manually operated switch, and. circuit opening and closing devices in the second branch circuit controlled by the passage of current through the third branch clrcuit.

10. An electric elevator signal system comprising, in combination, a lamp adjacent the elevator shaft, automatic means for completing a section of the circuit'for said lamp when the car approaches the flodr Where the said lamp is located, auxiliary means on the car adapted to break said. lamp circuit, and means operated by the movement of the car for restoring the connection broken by said auxiliary means at a predetermined point in the travel of the car. t

11. An electric elevator signal system comprising, in combination, a relatively high potential lamp circuit, means controlled by a circuit closing device adjacent the elevator shaft vfor closing the lamp circuit When the car approaches that floor, a relatively low potential circuit including a device adapted to open the said lamp circuit and a circuit openingand closing device for said lastmentioned circuit arranged on the car.

I 12. An electric elevator signal system com prising, in combination, a lamp circuit, a controlling mechanism therefor including an intermittently rotatable member, a circuit a make and break device operated thereby and arranged in series with said lamp circuit, and electromagnetic means .for imparting rotary motion to said member.

13. An electric elevator signal system comprising, in combination, a lamp circuit, a controlling mechanism therefor including'an intermittently rotatable member, a circuit 

